Gopinathan Velayudhan Nair, popularly known as Bharath Gopi was an Indian film actor, producer, and director. He was one of the first actors to be associated with the New Wave cinema movement in Kerala.
Background
Bharath Gopi was born on 8 November 1937 at Chirayinkeezhu in Thiruvananthapuram District of the state of Kerala as the youngest of four children to Kochuveetil Veelayudhan Pillai and Parvathyamma. On 24 January 2008, Gopi was hospitalized with chest pain. He died five days later following a cardiac arrest.
Education
He completed his BSc. Degree from Thiruvananthapuram University College. Immediately after his studies, he was employed as Lower Division Clerk in the Kerala Electricity Board.
Career
Gopi began his acting career as a theatre actor at Prasadhana Little Theatres under G. Sankara Pillai. His first stage appearance was in the role of Raaghavan in the play Abhayarthikal. Later on, he became associated with Thiruvarange under Kaavalam Narayana Panicker. He has also written five plays and directed three.
Gopi became interested in cinema through the Chitralekha Film Society, founded by Adoor Gopalakrishnan. He made his movie debut in Adoor's Swayamvaram in 1972 in a small role. He did the lead role of Sankarankutty in Adoor's next film, Kodiyettam (1977), a performance for which he won the National Award for Best Actor. He was also noted for his performances in movies like Ormakkayi, Yavanika, Panchavadi Palam and Adaminte Vaariyellu. Besides Malayalam movies, he acted in two Hindi movies, Aaghat and Satah Se Uthata Aadmi. Gopi was a film director and producer as well. Gopi was paralyzed by a stroke on February 20, 1986, at the zenith of his career.
In 1979, Gopi directed the movie Njattadi with Murali in lead role. The movie was only screened twice and the print is now lost. He directed three more movies Ulsavapittennu, Yamanam and Ente Hridhayathinte Utama. His Yamanam, about a physically handicapped person, was awarded Best Film on social issues by the National Award Jury in 1991.
His last role was in Balachandra Menon's De Ingottu Nokkiye (2008).